Myers, Theobald Earn Wins, Miller Leads Offense in Softball Sweep Over Tigers

BRIDGEPORT, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Softball team took a series sweep over Salem (WV) on Monday by scores of 6-5 and 8-0.
 
Neither team was able to generate much in the first inning, as senior Jamie Roberts was left stranded on a two-out double, while getting the start on the mound she worked out of a lead-off single for a scoreless frame. FSU was the first to get on the board in the top of the second, as junior Cristina Sommerkamp led off with a double then came around to score on an RBI single from senior Ryann Darling.
 
Roberts worked a 1-2-3 second, but ran intro trouble in the third, with the Tigers drawing four walks and a pair of singles to swiftly go ahead 4-1, as sophomore Ally Myers was brought in to get the final three outs. The Bobcats got one back in the fourth, as sophomore Olivia Stetler reached on a two-out error and was brought in on a ripped double by junior Allyssa Albright to get within 4-2.
 
After Myers tossed a scoreless fourth, the Frostburg comeback continued to gain momentum in the fifth, with Roberts lacing a one-out double. Freshman pinch-runner Katie Healy then came around to score on an RBI single from sophomore Arden Miller, who made it to second on the throw. Sommerkamp worked her second hit of the day to put both runners in scoring position. A sac fly by senior Brianna Munday plated Sommerkamp and gave FSU their first lead since the second inning up 5-4.
 
Myers continued to twirl on the mound, setting SU down in order in the bottom half of the frame to keep the Bobcats ahead. Stetler began the sixth with a base knock and was replaced on the basepaths by senior Sydney Theobald, who reached second after a hit by Albright. Salem was able to get out of the inning, however, with three straight outs to leave the runners stranded.
 
The Tigers threatened to tie the game in their at-bats, leading off with a double, but Myers settled down with a pair of groundouts and an infield pop-up to hold the one-run advantage. Miller led off the top of the seventh with a single, but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice off the bat of Sommerkamp. The Bobcat second baseman then advanced to second on a passed ball before being brought home on a double into left-center by Munday for a 6-4 game.
 
SU staged a dramatic ending to the game in their final chance at the plate, loading the bases with no outs after a walk and a pair of bunt singles. A sac fly brought in a run to pull the Tigers within one with runners on second and third with just one out. Keeping composed, Myers got the next two batters to fly out without another run scoring, sealing the narrow 6-5 victory.
 
Roberts, Miller, Sommerkamp, Munday, and Albright all finished with a pair of hits, as Munday led the offense on a pair of RBI. Myers was fantastic in relief, picking up her first career win in five innings of work, allowing just one run on three hits and a walk.
 
Sophomore Gracie Nelson drew a one-out walk to begin game two, but a double play in the next at-bat ended the frame quickly. Theobald got the start in the circle and fielded a pair of grounders as part of a 1-2-3 first inning in a scoreless contest. Miller started the second inning with a single, then moved up two bases on a sac bunt from Sommerkamp and a wild pitch, eventually scoring on an RBI knock by Darling for a 1-0 lead.
 
Salem put their first batter on in the second with a single into left, though Theobald got a fly out to center, a fantastic sliding catch by Munday in right, and a strikeout to keep the Tigers off the board. Albright opened the third with a bang, launching a double deep into center field, as Healy again came in to pinch run, moving up to third after a wild pitch. Junior Samara Funk made it runners at the corners after lining a ball to third base that allowed her to reach, as she then took second with a stolen base. On a 3-2 pitch, Nelson came up clutch with a single the other way into left that scored Healy to double the advantage. Some small ball followed, with Nelson stealing second and Funk coming home to score on the throw for a 3-0 lead. The scoring continued with Miller grounding to short but doing enough to bring Nelson home to end the frame with the Bobcats ahead 4-0.
 
Theobald worked around a one-out single in the bottom half by getting a grounder to third then making a nice snare on a ball right back at her to put away the Tiger bats. After a quiet fourth inning, the FSU bats broke back out in the top of the fifth, with Roberts and Sommerkamp earning walks either side of a ground-rule double by Miller to load the bases. Munday followed with an RBI walk, then Darling scored Miller on a sac fly to left to grow the lead to 6-0.
 
Continuing to dominate on the mound, Theobald tossed a pair of K's in putting SU down in order to end the fifth. With one out in sixth, Funk roped a single into left, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch, while Nelson followed with a walk and stolen base to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Miller proceeded to fight off an inside pitch for a single, bringing Funk and Nelson home for an 8-0 score. After giving up a lead-off single, Theobald settled in with three straight ground-outs to end the contest by mercy rule.
 
Miller was the driving force offensively, going for three hits and three RBI, both team-highs. Nelson drove in a run on a hit and pair of walks, while Darling ended with a pair of RBI. Theobald was brilliant on the mound, throwing the full six innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits while striking out three.
 
With the sweep, Frostburg improves to 12-11, while Salem drops to 6-14. The Bobcats return to action on Friday, March 29 for their home opener against West Liberty at 2 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.